Multi-way valve unit with jet pump



Feb. 26, 1957 E. J. PE RRIN 2,782,726

MULTI-WAY VALVE UNIT WITH JET PUMP Filed Feb. 23, 1954 INVENTOR .Eodzb u? Perl-in [dam 6 1414% TI-WAY VALVE UNIT WITH JET PUMI Eddie J. Perriu, Lodi, Calif.

Application February 23, 1954, Serial No.411,832

1 Claim. (Cl. 103-262) This invention relates in general to improvements in domestic water softeners.

In particular the invention is directed to, and it is a major object to provide, an improved valve assembly which greatly simplifies the process of regenerating the water softener, and which must be done upon occasion in order to maintain the apparatus in proper functioning condition.

Another object of the invention is to provide a water softener valve assembly, as above, which'is operative to effect regeneration of the Water softener conveniently and by the successive steps of back washing, draining for salt or brine introduction, and rinsing; these steps being followed by return of the water softener to a condition of normal use.

An additional object of the invention is to provide a water softener valve assembly which includes, in novel combination, two multiple-way valves connected in communication and arranged in a manner to accomplish the desired flow-regulation of the hard water supply, soft water feed, back wash, drain, and rinse; one of said valves being wholly manual, while the other valve is associated with a timer to obtain an automatic position change of said latter valve at a predetermined time in the regeneration process.

A further object of the instant invention is to provide a valve assembly, as in the preceding paragraph, wherein said one multiple-way valve includes a novel injector and venturi arrangement which-in one position of said valve-functions to impose a suction on, and to drain water from, the water softener tank preparatory to the introduction of the salt or brine; the drained water being force-fed by said injector and venturi arrangement into a carry-off or drain pipe, which preferably is coupled to the waste line of the domestic plumbing. Such injector and venturi arrangement is simple in structure, includes no moving parts, and is self-cleaning.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a water softener valve assembly which is designed for ease and economy of manufacture and installation, and long, trouble-free operation.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a practical and reliable water softener valve assembly, and one which will be exceedingly effective for the purpose for which it is designed.

These objects are accomplished by means of such structure and relative arrangement of parts as will fully appear by a perusal of the following specification and claim.

In the drawings:

Figs. 1-4 inclusive are diagrammatic elevations of a water softener having the present novel valve assembly mounted thereon.

Fig. 1 illustrates the position of the parts of the valve assembly for normal soft water feed.

Fig. 2 illustrates the position of the parts of the valve assembly for back wash.

nited States Patent "ice Fig. 3 illustrates the position of the parts of the valve 5' 2,782,726 Patented Feb. 26, 1957 assembly for draining preparatory to the introduction of salt or brine.

Fig. 4 illustrates the position of the parts of the valve assembly for rinsing.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged sectional elevation of the fourway valve showing particularly the novel injector and venturi arrangement. Fig. 6 is a diagram of a dual-tank water softening system to which the improved valve assembly is applied.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, and to the characters of reference marked thereon, the invention is here shown as embodied. in connection with a domestic water softener, as shown diagrammatically in Figs. 1-4 inclusive, which includes a tank 1 provided at the top with a filler neck 2 normally closed by a cap or cover 3; such cover, when the water softener is in use and at which time the tank is under pressure, being held in closed water-tight relation by clamping means (not shown).

The tank 1 contains, in the bottom thereof, a quantity of gravel 4, and on top of the gravel is a relatively larger quantity of water softening material 5, such as Zeolite.

The water softening material terminates at its upper level a substantial distance short of the top of the tank 1, which tank is full to the top with water 6 when the water softener is in service.

A four-way valve, indicated generally at 7, is preferably disposed adjacent but above the top of the tank 1; such four-way valve 7which is shown in detail in Fig. 5including a body 8 having vertically opposed ports 9 and 10 and horizontally opposed ports 11 and 12.

A bottom take-off pipe 13 leads from the bottom portion of the tank 1 upwardly to connection with the port 9 of the four-way valve 7, while the vertically opposed port 10 is connected by a top pipe 14 with the top of said tank 1.

The hard water supply pipe 15 is connected to the port 11 of the four-Way valve 7, while the horizontally opposed port 12 is connected by a short outlet pipe 16 to the intake port 17 of a three-way valve, indicated generally at 18.

The three-way valve 18 includes vertically opposed ports 19 and 20; the port 19 being what may be termed the soft water feed port, while the port 20 may be termed the drain port.

A valve member 21 in the body of the three-way valve 18 normally closes with a lower seat 22, whereby to pre vent communication from within valve 18 to a drain pipe 23 which connects to the drain port 20. Thus, the valve 18 normallyi. e. when the water softener is in service establishes communication between the pipe 16 and a soft water service pipe 24 which is connected to and leads from the port 19; such pipe 24 leading to the domestic water supply system.

The valve member 21 of the three-way valve 18 may however be set to close with an upper seat 25, associated with the port 19, whereby to block flow through said port 19 to pipe 24, and to then permit flow through the port 26 into the drain pipe 23.

A timer 26, which may be of electric or spring-clock type and manually set, is adapted to maintain the valve member 21 closed with the upper seat 25 for a predetermined length of time, and to thereafter release or return said valve member 21 to its normal position closing with the lower seat 22. This timer unit, and its operative connection with valve member 21, may be of the type shown in Patent No. 2,673,182 to D. M. Hintz.

The four way valve, indicated generally at 7 as shown in Fig. 5, and diagrammatically in the remaining figures, comprisesin addition to the body 8 and the ports 9, 10, 11, and 12a central cylindrical bore 27 with which said ports all communicate.

A rotary plug valve 28 turns within the bore 27 in the manner usual to four-way valves, and is adapted to be manually rotated to selective positions of adjustment by a hand lever or the like (not shown).

The rotary plug valve 28 is formed, on opposite sides thereof, with generally tangential or circumferentially extending cavities 29 and 30 symmetrically disposed relative to each other, and each of less than 180 circumferential extent whereby to define lands 31 and 32 in opposed relation on said rotary plug valve 28 intermediate the cavities 29 and 30.

The circumferential extent of the cavities 29, and 30 is such that in one position of the rotary plug valve-28 the cavity 29 establishes communication between port 9 and port 12, and the cavity 30 establishes communication between the ports 10 and 11; all as in' Figs. 1 and 4.

In another rotative position of the rotary plug valve 28 the cavity 29 establishes communication between the ports 9 and 11, while the cavity 30 establishes communication between the ports 10 and 12; all as in-Fig. 2.

In another position of the rotary plug valve 28, which may be termed the drain position as shown in Figs. 3 and 5, the lands 31 and 32 register with the ports 11 and 12, respectively, the cavity 29 registers with the port 9, while the cavity 30 registers with the port 10. In this Position of the rotary plug valve 28 a special and important structural arrangement of the rotary plug valve 28 is in position for operation; such arrangement being as follows:

A radial bore 33 is formed in the rotary plug valve 28, extending in communication between the land 31 and A a central recess 34 cut in said rotary plug valve 23 in communication with the cavity 29 but not in communication with the cavity 30.

An injector nozzle 35 is threaded into the radial bore 33 and projects a distance into the central recess 34 but terminates short of the opposite side thereof. A radially extending venturi 36 is formed in the rotary plug valve 28 in alinement with the bore 33 but on the opposite side of said valve; i. e., the venturi 36 extends in communication between the land 32 and the recess 34 in alinement with said bore 33 and nozzle 35.

This nozzle and venturi arrangement, when the rotary plug valve 28 is in the position of Figs. 3 and 5, functions as will hereinafter appear.

Operation When the water softener is in normal service the fourway valve 7 and the three-way valve 18 areset in the manner shown in Fig. l; the hard water entering through pipe 15, passing through cavity 30 and top pipe 14 into the tank 1. The water then flows downwardly through the water softening material 5 and gravel 4, and as softened thence flows in the pipe 13 through the cavity 29 and pipe 16 into the three-way valve 18. As such latter valve is normally open to the pipe 24 the soft water feeds to said pipe and thence into the domestic water supply system.

When it is desired to regenerate the water softener the valves 7 and 18 are set to a back Washing position, as in Figv 2; the water from pipe 15 now flowing through cavity 29 and into pipe 13 in a contra or downward direction, entering the tank 1 at the bottom and thence flowing upward through the gravel 4 and water softening material 5 in back washing relation thereto. The back Washing water then passes upwardly through the top pipe 14 and cavity 30, delivering by pipe 16 into the three-way valve 18, which is now set with the valve member 21 closed against the upper seat 25. Consequently, the back washing water passes through valve 18 into the drain pipe 23 which leads to connection with the domestic waste line.

After a predetermined period of back washing, the next step is to introduce salt or brine into the tank 1, but before this can be done it is necessary that a substantial quantity of the water be withdrawn from such tank. This latter operation is accomplished conveniently, by means of the instant valve assembly and after opening cover 3, as follows:

Firstly, the rotary plug valve 28 is set to the position as in Figs. 3 and 5. In this position water from pipe 15 is fed through the injector nozzle 35 and discharges as a forceful but relatively small jet stream through the venturi 36, flowing therefrom into the pipe 16 and through the three-way valve 18 to the drain pipe 23; the valve member 21 continuing to be set in closed relation to the upper seat 25.

As the jet stream of water flows from the nozzle 35 through the venturi 36 a suction is created in the recess 34 and the cavity 29, which suctionas imposed on the pipe 13-draws a quantity of the water from the tank 1, leaving an open space 37 in said tank. A quantity of salt or brine is then introduced into the tank 1 for the next step in the regeneration process, and which is termed rinsing.

The rinsing position of the valve assembly is illustrated in Fig. 4; here the four-way valve 7 being set in the normal service position, as in Fig. l, but the three-way valve 18 remains with the valve member 21 closing with the upper seat 25.

Consequently, during the rinsing operation, which is of substantial duration and which is predetermined by the setting of the timer 26, the water from pipe 15 flows through cavity 30 and top pipe 14, and thence travels downwardly in the tank 1, carrying the brine through said tank in rinsing or base exchange relation to the water softening material 5. From the bottom of the tank the rinse water flows upwardly in pipe 13, travels through cavity 29 and pipe 16 into the three-way valve 18, and from the latter discharges into the drain pipe 23.

At the termination of the rinsing period the timer 26 automatically returns the valve member 21 to its normal position closing with the lower seat 22, whereupon the valve assembly is all in its normal service position, as in Fig. l, and wherein the hard water from pipe 15 delivers to. the top of the tank 1, and the soft water from the bottom of said tank delivers to the service pipe 24.

With the described valve assembly, for a water softener, it will be recognized that the regeneration process can be carried out readily and with a minimum of inconvenience; the employment of the novel four-way valve 7, including its injector and venturi arrangement, making it possible for the drain Water to be forced under pressure into the drain pipe 23, so that such drain water may be delivered even from a low elevation point to the domestic waste line. This completely avoids the inconvenience of draining certain types of water softeners wherein heretofore the drain water, if drawn off at a low elevation point, had to be carried-as by bucketfor disposal.

It is also to be noted that in the back washing and rinsing steps of the regeneration process the waste water, being under pressure from pipe 15, is likewise pressuredischarged through the drain pipe 23.

A further advantage of the described valve assembly is that a single drain line serves for the back washing, draining, and rinsing steps of the regeneration process.

If the valve assembly, to which this invention is directed, is used in connection with a dual tank water softener as shown in Fig. 6 wherein one tank T carries a brine solution for the rinsing step, the suction imposed on the tank 1 during the draining operation, as in Fig. 3, can be employed- -by suitable communicating piping P- to transfer the brine solution from its tank to the other or water softening tank. Under this condition the cover 3 remains closed.

From the foregoing description it will be readily seen that there has been produced such a device as will substantially fulfill the objects of the invention, as set forth h e a While this specification sets forth in detail the present and preferred construction of the device, still in practice such deviations from such detail may be resorted to as do not form a departure from the spirit of the invention, as defined by the appended claim.

Having thus described the invention, the following is claimed as new and useful, and upon which Letters Patent are desired:

A four-way valve comprising a body having a central bore and four equally circumferentially spaced radial ports opening into said central bore, a rotary plug valve in the central bore, said rotary plug valve having opposed, symmetrically related, separated circumferential cavities therein, said cavities each being of a circumferential extent greater than 90 but less than 180 whereby radially opposed lands remain on the rotary plug valve, the rotary plug valve having a central recess opening into communication with one cavity only, the rotary plug valve having alined radial bores therein opening between corresponding lands and the recess, and a nozzle secured References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 715,266 Heston Dec. 9, 1902 1,446,547 Crowe Feb. 27, 1923 1,545,700 Schmidt July 14, 1925 1,659,023 Friend et al. Feb. 14, 1928 1,889,231 Wahlbom et a1. Nov. 29, 1932 1,929,405 Bilde Oct. 10, 1933 1,938,628 Huppertz Dec. 12, 1933 1,964,302 Shetler June 26, 1934 2,061,797 'Eisenhauer Nov. 24, 1936 2,153,559 Hendricks Apr. 11, 1939 2,268,172 Sinnett Dec. 30, 1941 2,474,145 Gambill June 21, 1949 2,673,182 Hintz Mar. 23, 1954 

